Projection exposure apparatus for semiconductor lithography with increased thermal robustness

US10466598B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Alireza AKBARINIA · Heidenheim, DE
• Alexandre Kemp · Ludwigshafen am Rhein, DE
• Timo Laufer · Stuttgart, DE
• Amishkumar Panchal · Aalen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 28, 2019
• Grant date: Nov 5, 2019
• Expiry date: Mar 28, 2039

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G03F7/7095
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A projection exposure apparatus for semiconductor lithography includes: a light source for generating optical used radiation by which structures arranged on a reticle can be imaged onto a wafer; a plurality of optical elements for guiding and manipulating the used radiation; and a plurality of position sensors for determining the position of at least some of the optical elements. At least some of the position sensors are arranged on a measurement structure that is at least partially decoupled mechanically and/or thermally from the further components of the projection exposure apparatus. The measurement structure has at least two mechanically decoupled substructures. The first substructure has a lower coefficient of thermal expansion than the second substructure. The second substructure has a greater stiffness than the first substructure.